What To Consider As You Fill In Your Ontario College Application

Applying to college can seem like a daunting task. Currently the Ontario college application process is online and is relatively straightforward. Students complete the application process on ontariocolleges.ca, which also offers profiles of each of Ontario’s colleges. Unfortunately for those looking to do a real critical look at the province’s colleges, the profiles consist of only positive, highly general and non-critical descriptors. Our articles on pages on Canadian colleges or the best colleges in Canada may offer a slightly more critical insight, but serious applicants should always consider taking the time for a campus tour.

Applying to a community college is a great way to get access to certifications and short courses in Canada. Most community colleges offer full certificates or diploma programs that last only two semesters. Some colleges also allow citizens to take single courses without registering as a long-term student. Of course, these courses are usually 100-level general knowledge courses, but they can be a great asset for employees looking to refresh some skills or seeking a new hobby. For example, George Brown College offers several low-level courses that the general public may register in, such as digital photography. The student leaves the course with no certificate or diploma, but will be assigned a final grade and have record of their attendance.

Ontario’s community colleges are growing in size and variety of programs offered. They can offer certificate and diploma programs, degrees that come from partnerships with various universities, and for post-graduate students they offer Ontario college graduate certificate programs for more specialized education. Post-graduate college programs are for graduates possessing either a degree or a diploma, but some of these programs will make exceptions for individuals who have put in years of relevant work experience.

For mature students, the hardest part of the application process may be accessing their high school transcripts. The task is not completely unattainable since thanks to electronic records every high school student’s transcript is saved forever, but it may take a bit of insistence with your school administrators. Some colleges also require general knowledge tests to assess applicants’ basic math and vocabulary skills, and many of Ontario’s colleges require reflective essays for some specific programs. For example, Seneca at York’s highly sought-after TV and broadcasting program, which is taught by a variety of professionals within the broadcasting industry, requires students to submit an essay on why the program is the ideal program for them. Obviously, performance-related programs require auditions (some in person, some through video submissions) and programs such as Humber College’s famed comedy writing and performance program require students to submit some of their original material as samples.

Once the ideal program is selected, application can begin. For programs beginning in September, the bulk of applications are submitted before Christmas, though many accept applications well into the Spring. Obviously, earlier is better, but OntarioColleges.ca will have listings of which colleges are still accepting applications, so no one is ever left in the dark.

Calculating program costs and coming up with a way to pay is the next step, and usually the most stressful step. The cost of college can vary somewhat, though most Canadian colleges fall around $1,800 – $3,700 for a full year, traditionally far less expensive than universities. Quebec is the home of the cheap colleges in Canada thanks to a tuition freeze in the late 1990s, but out-of-province students still pay a fee on par with prices in other provinces. OSAP can still provide assistance to students, especially mature students, but OSAP applicants should be wary of taking on too much debt – if they don’t need the loan, they may be best to not take it.

After following all of these steps and after some perhaps excruciating waiting, the time comes to begin your college career.